B'Town hails Javed Akhtar's farewell speech

Rajya Sabha went speechless for some time when Javed Akhtar, on Tuesday, gave a farewell speech and shared his experiences in the Upper House during the past six years.

The Hindi film fraternity took to their Twitter handles to laud the acclaimed lyricist-writer for his thoughts on the issues of democracy and secularism.

"Namaskar.kal Javed Akhtar sahab ne Sansad mein sacche mann se jo baatein kahi aur jis dhang se kahi wo dil ko chu gayi.Humari film industry ka sar Himalaya ki choti tak uncha hua.Main unko bahut badhaai deti hun aur shukriya adaa karti hun.Ishwar unko khush rakhe," tweeted Lata Mangeshkar.

"Wonderful Javed Akhtar Sahab! Agree with you. Bas sab maan le Ye baat aapki!" read Rishi Kapoor's tweet.

"Javed uncle what a speech!! Wish everyone had ur clarity of speech.. N thought!," tweeted Farah Khan.

"Was wondering why @Javedakhtarjadu Saab was trending. Just saw his magnificent speech in RS. Great thinker, writer, orator #BharatMataKiJai," wrote Riteish Deshmukh.

"Brilliant speech by javed Akthar saab," tweeted Varun Dhawan.

"Hope you all have seen the Farwell speech of Mr @Javedakhtarjadu in Rajya Sabha. His honest, valid views are praise worthy. More power 2 him," read Sonu Nigam's tweet.

"Few could make this point as eloquently as @Javedakhtarjadu does! Well said! Every Indian MUST watch this speech," said Vidhal Dadlani.

"We are great because we are a #Democracy." What a great speech Sir," tweeted Dia Mirza.

"super awesome speech @Javedakhtarjadu !!! U really effortlessly win hearts...," wrote Divya Dutta.

" Sh. Javed Akhtar's farewell speech in Rajya Sabha | Mar 15, 2016 hear him !!@Javedakhtarjadu," read Rohit Roy's tweet.

In his farewell speech, Javed Akhtar said that democracy and secularism, constitution and youth power, these are the advantages India enjoys and they should not be frittered away.

In a nuanced response to the ongoing debate on intolerance, the 71-year-old lyricist asked whether societies that think "anything against their religion or faith is punishable by hanging" be an example to us or the ones in that have "every kind of freedom, where even the (a movie like) The Last Temptation of Christ can be made."

He also indirectly took on AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi over his recent refusal to say "Bharat Mata ki Jai."

The speech drew huge applause cutting across political boundaries.